For me is incomprehensible how can you Fly around the half Planet with your RV9....

I know the (all RV's) the 9 is a graet Travel Plane.. i love my too, but......

Russia is not "so far" from Austria.....ist it also on your Travel Plan ? :-)

greetings
Manfred

If you want to read a really spectacular story about flying from the US to Australia, this is a story of a family of five that flew from Boston to Australia through Europe, the Middle East, down through South East Asia and on to Australia. I was 10 years old when I watched them depart from the airport just miles from my child hood home. The pilot Robin, was a co-worker and good friend of my fathers and their entire family close friends. Robin was also one of the inspirations that motivated me to eventually fly. I believe they are the only family to date to have completed this journey.

This story would make for a great book. Title already made "VFR to Russia".

Great story, i'll pop out of my chair at work and tell people about this amazing Man who is flying the same plane as mine to Russia, then pull up google maps and show them the route. Exciting for me at least!

An hour over the water flew faster then I thought. Over Provideniya I turned northeast and was headed toward BATNI intersection. Stellar weather beautiful views.

Provideniya.

Tracking the Russian shoreline.

Lavrentia. Sergey's turboprop commuter is still there they will take off going back to Anadyr in 30 minutes.

A fun episode here over Lavrentia. Magadan Control hands me off to Lavrentiya Tower and advises to speak Russian. No problem or so I thought.
"November666BK здравствуйте, на связи эшелон 110." Roger. The thing is it's very difficult to communicate in foreign aviation lingo if you are not using it constantly. Even simple phrases it's a different format. I made my reports and before checking out Lavrentiya Tower gave me a lecture (in Russian). "Nikolay 666 Boris Katerina just be advised there is no English speaking services here. Yes, we accommodate accidental traffic from your side but I am personally not authorized to speak English. I do have an ICAO level though..." That was an interesting conversation. It also sheds light on why I was turned out to enter Russian airspace here.

After I crossed the ADIZ the weather changed dramatically. Nome was locked under solid 5000' layer and incoming IFR traffic was crazy. I still had about 2 hours of fuel left and could reach anywhere with good weather. Let's see what we can do.

It's actually a good thing to have an IFR capable aircraft with FIKI. A smart guy who just popped out of the clouds heard my communication with ATC and asked why can't I just shoot at approach. Wise controller said I am not equipped and asked an arriving Bering Air to take a look around if there are any openings. The kid asked if I have a map ready. Sure. Go to Kugluktuk mountains there is a huge swamp and it's clear over there. Then the controller chimes in - there is a road to Nome as soon as you can maintain VFR over it give me a call couple minutes out we'll see what we can do for you.

Different world is Alaska let me tell you. Everybody helps nobody ever left behind. So I fly 50 miles north, drop down through the hole and drive along the road. A herd of muskoxen didn't care.

I monitor Nome radio, hold couple minutes outside the surface area over a dredge then after a military aircraft goes on a training missed approach, I insert myself into the radio chatter. Controller asks Alaska Airlines to hold short for a minute, I read back my special VFR instructions then plop on the numbers of runway 21 and exit quickly. Everybody is accommodated everybody is happy. Hello home!

I flew back into the Yesterday and I had a birthday again. I will stay here for another day then start trekking east leasurely I still have a week of vacation to burn...

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